Originally Published By:

A Central Intelligence Agency drone is believed to have killed a top strategist and spokesman for al Qaeda, Abu Yahya al-Libi, in the tribal areas of Pakistan near the Afghan border, according to officials familiar with the strike.

Al-Libi has been one of the most sought-after terrorist targets since his escape from the prison at Bagram Air Force base in 2005. A rising star in al Qaeda, he was on the CIA’s list of top-20 al Qaeda targets, according to an official familiar with the list.

He was killed Tuesday near Miram Shah in North Waziristan. He was believed to be under the protection of the Haqqani network, a militant group with a tight relationship with al Qaeda. The State Department announced a $1 million award earlier this year for information leading to his capture.